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Liveaboard Diving in Koh Bon
What To Expect On A Koh Bon Liveaboard
Liveaboards to Koh Bon take divers to this remote uninhabited limestone island in the shape of a horse shoe to the north of Similan Island no.9. As with Koh Tachai it is within speedboat distance of Khao Lak but unlike it, there are no beaches here so water entry is strictly from the boat only. This isolated island in the middle of the Andaman Sea is covered with forests and plants and poorly sheltered from the elements in bad weather. Koh Bon Ridge and Koh Bon Pinnacle are considered two of the best dive sites in Thailand. Marine life here is abundant and there is a manta ray cleaning station so high probability of seeing these majestic creatures. Not as popular a dive site as its surrounding partners in the Andaman Sea, it means this site can be a wonderfully quiet one to dive, a refreshing change in the busy season of April - May. Koh Bon offers a beautiful selection of marine life and diven responsibly is a great destination on your liveaboard journey.
What You Can See
The underwater terrain of Koh Bon Ridge, on the southwestern corner starts with a ridge that drops off to depths of up to 45m. A significant vertical drop, the wall here is covered in zig zag clams, anemones and soft corals, notice their variation and changing spectrum of colours the deeper you go. The wall is worth investigating closely for critters and makes a good first deep dive. Its bay is quite sheltered and with minimal current provides a good spot for night dives also. The western side of the ridge is covered in strikingly beautiful coral formations and seafans of different shapes and sizes and slopes down gently. These coral formations provide shelter for a varied marine life. On your liveaboard dive cruise it is common to see resting Leopard Sharks or nurse sharks on the sandy bottom as well as the common morays, triggerfish, lionfish and sweetlips. The banded sea snake, octopus, batfish and mantis shrimp, pipefish and the rare frogfish are exciting additions to these waters, albeit what all divers aim to witness is the gentle gliding of the Manta Ray, here to feed and be cleaned. A dive can sometimes just involve hanging around in one spot while these curious black and white majestic beings circle and hover over you, enjoying your bubbles, demonstrating the perfect buoyancy and then showing off their acrobatic skills.
Koh Bon Pinnacle, to the west, is more exposed, suitable for the experienced diver and suggested only in good conditions. With depths of 18-40m, the pinnacles jet out to around 25m high. With a mountainous look and feel, this small site is definitely far from boring. The reef's sloping wall is covered in yellow soft coral, hiding decorator crabs, moray eels and their cleaner shrimps and shrimp-gobies peering out of the holes. Look into the blue for passing eagle rays, black tip reef sharks or manta rays. The currents can be strong here and may attract Manta Rays as well.
Getting There
The best way to get to Koh Bon is on a Thailand liveaboard trip to the Surin Islands, which will depart from either Phuket or Khao Lak. Further from Phuket than from Khao Lak, (200 km north of Phuket and 80 km northwest of Khao Lak), it is worth checking what port you prefer to depart from. Khao Lak is about 100km north of Phuket and can be reached overland. Please check your itinerary before purchasing flight tickets. There are international flights into Phuket and / or domestic flights from Bangkok to Phuket. As part of the Similan Islands, the area is closed between the months of May to October.
Koh Bon Diving Reviews
- 9.3 Superb
- 32 Verified Reviews
- 10.0 Exceptional
- Chi Hung Eddie K
Hong Kong
Many species can be found here
Diving Koh Bon in February on the Camic
- 10.0 Exceptional
- Sabrina K
Germany
Mantas, nothing more to say ;)
Diving Koh Bon in February on the The Junk
- 9.6 Exceptional
- Simon V
Belgium
Really nice diving, beautiful reefs
Diving Koh Bon in December on the The Junk
- 9.6 Exceptional
- Guan Jie O
Singapore
Good in general, liked exploring the west ridge.
Diving Koh Bon in December on the Genesis I
- 8.0 Very good
- Leila H
Switzerland
Very nice, but challenging with rather strong current
Diving Koh Bon in November on the Oktavia
- 10.0 Exceptional
- Thomas M
United Kingdom
Great spot to dive, something new to see every time.
Diving Koh Bon in November on the Hallelujah
- 8.8 Fabulous
- Arnaud S
France
Nice sites for small sea life
Diving Koh Bon in November on the Oktavia
- 10.0 Exceptional
- Adrian H
- United Kingdom
I found Koh Bon's topography among the best of the sites visited. Once again the Vis made this site incredible
Diving Koh Bon in April on the The Phinisi
- 8.4 Very good
- MICHAEL H
- United Kingdom
Crystal clear vis. No mantas or sharks this time - but we did meet the Green Monster, a very impressive thermocline caused by cold, greenish water welling up from the depths
Diving Koh Bon in January on the Similan Explorer
- 8.0 Very good
- YUEN FAI DICK W
- United Kingdom
excellent, saw oceanic manta
Diving Koh Bon in March on the Oktavia
- 8.8 Fabulous
- Alexander K
Canada
Best dive along west ridge
Diving Koh Bon in February on the Oktavia
- 9.2 Superb
- Ben T
- United Kingdom
It thought the diving and scenery of this island was incredible.
Diving Koh Bon in March on the Camic
- 9.6 Exceptional
- Taylor L
United States
No mantas at Koh Bon this time but marine life was still exceptional
Diving Koh Bon in March on the Camic
- 9.6 Exceptional
- Jan J
Slovakia
Pretty good, some leopard sharks came along :)
Diving Koh Bon in January on the Oktavia
- 9.6 Exceptional
- John M
- United Kingdom
I really liked Koh Bon. We dived two sites here, the West Ridge and the Coral Garden. The Coral Garden was the most varied with a Southward drift across some dead coral and some areas where there was a lot of new growth and developing coral heads.
Diving Koh Bon in April on the The Junk
- 10.0 Exceptional
- Natalie R
New Zealand
Lovely easy divesite with heaps of diversity
Diving Koh Bon in March on the Similan Explorer
- 7.6 Good
- Juliane H
Austria
Fish swarms. Though a little bit worse visibility than the days before, great dive.
Diving Koh Bon in March on the Dolphin Queen
- 9.6 Exceptional
- JAYEON C
South Korea
Clear view, amazing big size of aquatic life
Diving Koh Bon in February on the The Junk
- 8.8 Fabulous
- pablo E
Chile
Best noght dive was in koh bon
Diving Koh Bon in February on the Similan Explorer
- 10.0 Exceptional
- THIERRY L
- France
Excellent! 1 dive at Koh Bon
Diving Koh Bon in February on the The Junk
- 8.0 Very good
- Maria Tereza C
Brazil
Very good. Good visivility. In the last dive there most of the divers saw a manta ray.
Diving Koh Bon in February on the Hallelujah Liveaboard
- 8.8 Fabulous
- Maillard J
- France
Nice, there we saw the Manta ray!
Diving Koh Bon in February on the Dolphin Queen
- 10.0 Exceptional
- Ian T
- United Kingdom
Good, stay at the top of the pinical it's stunning
Diving Koh Bon in January on the Similan Explorer
- 9.6 Exceptional
- David G
- United States
Amazing, could see so many fish and awesome coral.
Diving Koh Bon in December on the Dolphin Queen
